Millbury's No Slots gets Tewksbury's signs, advice

Saturday

Aug 24, 2013 at 4:38 PM

By Elaine Thompson, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

MILLBURY — The No Slots folks were revved up at a meeting Saturday after two anti-gambling leaders who helped defeat a slots parlor proposal in Tewksbury dropped off more than 200 signs and some advice.

Vinny Fratalia, a grandfather who has lived in Tewksbury 25 years, said residents only had one month, less time than in Millbury, to fight to defeat a proposed slots parlor there.

"We had a month. It can be done. There's no doubt about it. We did it. You guys can as well," he said.

Mr. Fratalia and Thomas Larkin of Bedford, a psychologist and anti-slots consultant, delivered a pickup truck full of signs from the anti-slots folks in Tewksbury to the No Slots group during a meeting at Millbury Public Library Saturday morning. Voters at a special town meeting on Aug. 19 overwhelmingly defeated a zoning change needed in order for a $200 million slots proposal from Penn National Gaming to go forward. Mr. Fratalia said their grass-roots effort that multiplied was able to stop the proposal even though 95 percent of elected officials supported it because of the estimated $4.3 million in expected revenue.

Darin Haig, a 10-year resident of Millbury with a wife and three school-age children, said he contacted the Tewksbury folks after the vote for advice.

"It's a real sign of solidarity for them to bring their signs here because what we have is a real grass-roots campaign. We don't have the big money behind us like the 'yes' folks in town. All their signs, website and talking points are coming from Rush Street Gaming," said Mr. Haig.

Millbury signed a host community agreement with Mass Gaming & Entertainment, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming, on July 23. The company hopes to develop a 110,000- to 115,000-square-foot complex with the state maximum 1,250 slot machines and at least one full-service restaurant just north of The Shoppes at Blackstone Valley, a large, open-air mall that opened in 2004. A townwide referendum is scheduled for Sept. 24. The last day to register to vote is Sept. 4.

Supporters point to at least $3.25 million in annual revenue, construction work and 400 to 450 permanent jobs associated with the slots parlor. Opponents say the facility will result in increased traffic, property devaluation, environmental decline and increased insurance costs on homes and automobiles because of increased crime.

About 40 opponents attended Saturday's meeting to continue planning how to get their message to voters in the next 30 days. Thomas McWalters, whose wife, Lesa, is president of No Slots in Millbury, said there are people in town who don't even know about the proposal. The Tewksbury men said the same thing happened there, but the use of Facebook generated a lot of votes.

Mr. Larkin, past president of United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts, said the Massachusetts Association of Realtors estimates that gambling facilities cause a 10 percent decrease in property values. They said a Tewksbury real estate agent had a sale for a $600,000 home that was contingent on the defeat of the slots parlor.

"It would truly make it a less desirable community for potential buyers. That's evidence right there," Mr. Haig noted. "A young family, when you're looking for a home, you don't say, 'Hey, honey, let's go look in the small town of 13,000 that has a giant mecca of a slots parlor to raise our children.' "

The group plans to meet in the library parking lot Aug. 31 to break up into groups to go out and hold signs at different high-travel locations and to talk to residents about putting signs in yards.

"We have 30 days left. I know it's Labor Day weekend, but if you're available, let me know. We have plenty of signs. If you're willing to hold a sign, send me an email," Mrs. McWalters said.

Connecticut resident Robert H. Steele, author of "The Curse: Big Time Gambling's Seduction," will speak at a book signing at 7 p.m. Sept. 9 at Elm Draught House, 35 Elm Court.

For more information, go to www.casinofreemillbury.com. or on Facebook at two locations: www.facebook.com/groups/noslotsinmillbury and www.facebook.com/groups/195559487270319.